I can be an extremely “heady” person.

I often get stuck in my thoughts and inside of my mind and, I swear, it almost feels at times like I’ve forgotten that I even have a body.

And there’s nothing wrong with being this way—a lot of creative people are like this too.

On the other hand, we are physical, primitive beings, just like any other animal on God’s green earth and we need to remember this, if only to continue to be able to create.

For example, the concept for the book I’m working on right now—the first book since my personally prized (un-published) memoir to truly and completely excite me—came to me while (gasp!) living my life.

So here are ways to get back in touch with the rest of ourselves, especially when we’ve gotten stuck within our brains—so that we can once again be the real-life heroes of our stories:

1. Practice yoga.

This one cannot come as a gigantic shock.

The physical practice of asana is specifically designed to move energy within our body and release physical blockages.

This isn’t all hooey and hocus pocus, either—tension is stored inside muscle tissues; areas we clench and tighten when experience mental or emotional frustration—and taking these tissues through a range of yoga postures helps us to create a body that’s supple and strong—and more prepared for the next challenges that will surely arise.

2. Get outside.

I was walking with my dad the other week and I told him that I think a period of melancholy I had been going through was directly attributed to being trapped indoors.

I have a toddler and live in a chilly winter climate and it’s just not possible for her and I to head outside for our one to two hour daily walks, like we’d become accustomed to before the cold weather hit.

Nature is where we are meant to spend time. We are not created to be cooped up in cubicles on computers all day. And, although this might be somewhat unavoidable, just getting outside for five to ten minutes is both refreshing and invigorating to us—body, mind and spirit.

3. Have sex. 

Sorry, Mom.

Yet, this is true. If you’re a consenting, safe-playing adult, making love is one of the best prescriptions for getting out of a mental rut and back into the clarity of a happy body.

4. Cheat on your yoga mat. 

Yes, yoga class is amazing—but it’s not the only thing out there that can help to heal your body and heart.

Sometimes taking a spin on my circa-1980s Nordic Track is a surefire way to make me feel blissed out and ready to take on life again.

5. Throw away your limitations.

Yes, I’m a cerebral sort of lady—but if I tell myself, and others, that I am something, I’m limiting myself.

I’m boxing myself into a self-constructed category of who and what I am—and what I’m capable of.

So, guess what else I tell myself I am?

Here’s a laundry list: an athlete, an all-around do-gooder, a hard-worker, and, last but not least, someone who’s capable of anything.

If you find yourself feeling pressured to live or behave in a certain manner, then consider trying, for one day, putting on a new label that you admire but think you cannot wear. (My guess is that you’ll be surprised—and that this new name tag might never come off).

Because, the thing is this, life is only what we make it.

And, what are we waiting for (I mean, really)?

The only thing I’m waiting for is to see what next hurdle my mentally creative mind wants to see me hop over.

Photo: Lance Neilson/Flickr.

This article was first published by elephant journal.

The post 5 Tips: How to Become the Heroes of Our Own Stories. first appeared on Jennifer S. White.

I began dating my husband even before I began high school. We had celebrated our tenth anniversary and made our first cross-country move before we said “I do.”

With our seventh wedding anniversary recently behind us and our eighteenth dating anniversary right around the corner, I began to ponder the secret to such a long-lasting relationship.

For us, a huge part of it has been learning to say “I love you” without ever opening our mouths.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a word person—the kind of person that thinks the card is equally important to the gift. Yet many of us are not “word” people, and learning how the people in your life express love—and hope to have it returned—is hugely important to both relationship success and happiness.

Here are eight ways to say “I love you” without words.

 1. Make contact—eye contact that is. 

Looking the person you love in the eyes says so much—without actually saying anything. How often do you take the time to stare into your partner’s eyes? It’s not just something newly infatuated people should do. Looking people in the eyes allows them to see what’s in yours too, and there’s almost nothing more wonderful than being gazed at adoringly. So take time to really look at the people you love.

2. Be practical. 

Some people show their love by changing your oil or cooking your favorite meal. Taking care of those closest to us is a basic way to say “I love you.” It expresses concern for your daily well-being—and if that isn’t love, then I don’t know what is.

3. Spend time together. 

My husband and I realized long ago that we fight when we don’t spend enough time together. I understand that not every couple is like this, but I personally think spending quality time together is critical to the success of a relationship. Even if that together time is simply sitting down to dinner or spending 30 minutes reading together on the sofa before bed, make sure to make time for the ones you love.

4. Get physical. 

Hugging, kissing, cuddling—these are all easy ways to show someone you love them. Some people respond more to physical affection than anything else, and part of the joy of the human experience is being in a relationship and getting to experience that closeness with another person. Sometimes those little tender touches are all it takes to say “I love you” without words.

5. Give a little. 

Little presents for no reason are so special. I’m not talking about spending a lot of money either. It’s those small, thoughtful gifts that show you’re really listening to your partner that count.

6. Do you hear what I hear? 

Miscommunication is, unfortunately, also a part of the human experience. Take the time to really listen to what your partner is saying—and make sure you understand them. Sometimes our thoughts don’t come out the way that we want them to. Learning to communicate effectively with the people you love is hugely rewarding.

7. Flip side. 

I often say that our best and worst qualities are the flip side of the same coin. So you’re passionate and temperamental? You’re reliable and stubborn? Don’t use your partner’s flaws against them if you can help it. Sure, the best relationships encourage us to be our best selves, but at the same time knowing someone so well that you know them inside and out and for better or for worse is so special. After all, if anyone deserves some slack, isn’t it the people you love the most? Which brings us to…

8. Be kind. 

How do you treat someone you’ve just met for the first time and how do you treat the people you love and see every day? I’m personally guilty of easily having a sharp tongue or snotty tone of voice. Keeping this in check and treating the people you love the way they deserve to be treated—with kindness—is perhaps the best way to guarantee relationship bliss.

Relationships take time and effort, but almost nothing worth having comes easily. Saying “I love you” is definitely important. However, I think that actions do speak louder than words. Show the people you love the most in this world that you care, and when those three little words do come out, they’ll mean even more.

Photo credit: Super Awesome/Flickr.

The post 8 Ways to Say ‘I Love You’ Without Words. first appeared on Jennifer S. White.